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October 28, 2008

Karaoke Cabs Hit The Streets

Taken from Billboard: I can't think of two things I hate more, cab rides and karaoke, and now they are rolled into one ugly combo. That God it's only temporary and not in a city near me.

By Kamau High, N.Y.

Starting in November consumer electronics brand Memorex is going to be outfitting cabs in San Francisco and Chicago with karaoke systems and encouraging people who get into the cabs to sing in exchange for a free ride, Billboard has learned.It's part of an advertising campaign by Colorado based ad agency TDA Advertising & Design to promote Memorex's SingStand, a full sized microphone, stand and speakers that allows users to sing along with music. There will be six cabs in high foot traffic areas of the cities, each of them wrapped in an ad for SingStand.People who agree to sing for their spin will be filmed and clips of the footage will be uploaded to Mykarokecab.com, a site that will not be live until next week. Memorex, which is owned by Imation, is not the first company to encourage off-key singing in a moving vehicle. Kansas City, Kan., has cabaraoke.com, while Dallas has a Karaoke Yellow Cab.In December the campaign will come to New York. While the song list is still being finalized it will include holiday perennials such as "White Christmas," said Deborah Hernandez, marking communications manager, Memorex.